History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 61

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 61

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

accepted an appointment in the service of the state, in looking after the wounded soldiers, and did considerable service in that capacity dur- ing the war. In 1865 he was elected judge of the county court, for Iroquois county, Hon. Samuel Williams being his opponent, and was reelected in 1869, by a largely increased majority, over the same opponent, and served for eight years in that office, gaining the reputa- tion of being one of the best judges in the state. In 1863 he bought the abstract books of Wm. H. Taylor, then owned by H. O. Henry, but not complete, and afterward completed a general abstract of the land titles of the county, and which is still the only complete abstract in the county. He is engaged in the abstract business and in chancery prac- tice pertaining to land titles. In politics he was a whig up to the dis- solution of that party, and since a leading radical republican, and has exerted a controlling influence in that party in his county. He is not a member of any church, but has a firm belief in the moral responsi- bility of man, and that exact justice will be dealt out to all by the Creator, both in this life and the great future, and from which there can be no escape. He is a prominent Mason ; joined that order in Perry Lodge, No. 37, La Fayette, Indiana, in 1847; was several years master of Lauramie Lodge, No. 32, in that state; was the first master of Mid- dleport Lodge, No. 289, Illinois ; is now a member of Watseka Lodge, No. 446, and a member of Watseka Chapter, No. 114, and has held the second office in that chapter. He is strongly impressed with the beauties of the symbols of the order. Being of Scotch-German descent, indicates the fact that he is a man of marked character. He has one of the best general libraries in the county, and is a great reader, and well posted in most of the affairs of life. He is quick in forming his opin- ions and frank in expressing' them, yet, from his legal training, he is apt to be just in his conclusions. He is intolerant of what he believes error and wrong-doing, and his outspoken manner sometimes gives offense to those who do not thoroughly understand his character, and therefore cannot appreciate him. Having acquired considerable valua- ble property and lands, he is comfortably circunstanced, and resides in a fine brick residence of his own, immediately west of the court-house on Second street, in the city of Watseka.

N. Jourdan, farmer, Watseka, is a native of York state, born June 27, 1820. In 1852 he came west, and located in Illinois, living in different counties. He finally located in Iroquois county, where lie is engaged in farming. He formerly worked at the blacksmith trade, which he learned in his native state. Mr. Jourdan's father was in the war of 1812, participating in the battle of Sackett's Harbor. In 1849 Mr. N. Jourdan married Miss L. Koucher, a native of New York, and

MIDDLEPORT AND BELMONT TOWNSHIPS.

by this union they have six living children : Sylvester, Charles B .; Anne, wife of Thomas Soloman ; Deforest A., Eva, Mary ; and three deceased : Elizabeth, Fremont and Delzora.

J. E. Leatherman, farmer, Watseka, was born in Putnam county, Indiana, January 7, 1833. In 1835 Mr. Leatherman's parents came to Cook county, Illinois. Mr. Leatherman remained at home working on the farm, that being his occupation. In 1856 he married Miss L. R. Hatch, daughter of E. Hatch and Phœbe (Rodgers) Hatch. In 1857 Mr. Leatherman came to his present farm. On August 12, 1862, he enlisted in Co. F, 113th Ill. Vol. Inf., and was soon transported to the field of action, and took part in several engagements - the siege of Vicksburg, Arkansas Post, -then returning to Springfield, Illi- nois, with prisoners, but soon after rejoining his regiment. June 11, 1864, he was taken prisoner and taken to Andersonville, where he was held a prisoner-of-war about five months. While there his life was constantly in danger from exposure, starvation, and occasionally getting too close to the " dead line," which, if crossed, was sure death. After remaining there for some time, he was taken to South Carolina, and soon after paroled. Since his return home he has been engaged in farming; he is the owner of a fine farm of 222 acres, which he and his wife have made by hard work.

Thomas Soran, son of Patrick and Ann (Carney) Soran, was born May 16, 1830, in Louth county, Ireland ; was educated in the common schools of that country, and spent his youth there in farming. He left Ireland November 25, 1849, and landed in New York city December 26, 1849. He soon engaged in work on the New Jersey Central railroad, and remained on that road about two years; then engaged on the Del- aware & Belvidere railroad, New Jersey, for about one year; left and entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Central railroad, residing at Altoona, and was so employed about fifteen months. He then came to Springfield, Illinois, and laid the track on the Great Western railroad from that city to Decatur, and remained on that road about fifteen months; then went to Keokuk, Iowa, and worked on the Keokuk & Fort Dodge railroad, graded the first eight miles, and cleared the road to Farmington, thirty miles. On September 27, 1857, he engaged his services on the P. & O. railroad as assistant roadmaster; and on January 1, 1860, became roadmaster, and so remained until January 1, 1876. He was married, May 20, 1858, to Nancy Lyons ; has no children. He was raised a Catholic; in politics is independent. He owns about 800 acres of land, and several houses and lots in Watseka, including a good brick store-building and stock of groceries ; also owns about 100 head of cattle and other property,

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

and worth not less than $30,000. He is an enterprising, intelligent and valuable citizen.

Brooks & Oren, druggists, are among the leading merchants of Watseka. The firm is composed of John B. Brooks and Asa Oren. Mr. Brooks was born in' Jackson, Michigan, in 1850, and there was engaged in the mercantile business. He came to Watseka and was in the well known house of Secrest, Arnold & Co., where he remained some three years. In 1873 he embarked in the drug business with . Mr. Bowsher, the firm being Bowsher & Brooks. In 1875 the present firm of Brooks & Oren was formed. Mr. Oren was born in Ohio, January 16, 1840, and is the son of John and Martha (Bailey) Oren, both members of the Quaker church. Mr. Oren came to Iroquois county in 1861, where he remained until 1862, when he returned to Ohio. In 1870 he came back to Iroquois, county, and was made deputy sheriff, under Mr. A. South, for some five years. In 1875 he associated himself with Mr. Brooks and entered the drug business.

Abraham Andrew, Watseka, was born in Butler county, Ohio, December 20, 1835, and is the son of Jacob and Mary (Neighheart) An- drew, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Capt. Andrew, the subject of our sketch, was born on the farm. When very young, with his parents, he moved to Jacksonburg, Ohio, where his father was en- gaged in the hotel business. From there they moved to Summerville, and thence to Indianapolis, Indiana, and subsequently to Dayton, Tippe- canoe county ; in these places his father followed the hotel business. He next went on a farm, and afterward moved to Warren county. Capt. Andrew learned the harness-maker's trade at Dayton, and at this trade he worked at Williamsport. At the breaking out of the late civil war, he was the second man who enlisted in Co. B, 10th reg. Ind. Vol. Inf. for three months. This regiment did duty in Virginia, and participated in the battle of Rich Mountain, Virginia; after serving full time he was honorably mustered out. He then came to Watseka and entered his brother's harness shop. He then entered a dry goods store, and was clerking for Daniel Fry when he and Maj. Harrington raised Co. A, of the 76th Ill. Vol. Inf. He was made first lieutenant, and Maj. Harrington was made captain. Capt. Andrew participated in every battle the 76th was in; he was made captain of Co. A, on January 4, 1863, and was known as Capt. Mice, being called this on account of being a small man in stature. He took the camp diarrhea and was given up to die at Vicksburg, Mississippi ; and was given a leave of absence for twenty days, his old army friends never expecting to see him again. He was put on board of a Mis- sissippi river steamer, and started for home; here he met John Har-

Very of July Edward (Dalton)

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

MIDDLEPORT AND BELMONT TOWNSHIPS.

rington, the pilot of the boat, who gave him blackberry brandy and cured him before he arrived at Cairo. He came home, but returned to the regiment inside of twenty days. At the close of the war he returned to Watseka, where he entered the grocery business, and remained in this business about two years. After this he entered the harness business; then for a short time farmed ; for some six years he clerked in a dry goods store, and was in the livery stable business some five years. Capt. Andrew was married, January 24, 1867, to Caroline Troup, who was born in Middleport January 2, 1849. They have had two children, one of whom is deceased.

Michael R. Emmons, blacksmith, Watseka, is one of the oldest blacksmiths in this vicinity. He was born in Burlington county, New Jersey, in 1834. His father managed a blacksmith shop, and was a farmer; here Mr. Emmons was born. When he was a small lad he began to work at the trade of a blacksmith in Pointsville, New Jersey, where he remained until he was twenty-one years of age. At that time he set out in life and worked at his trade in Pennsyl- vania and Michigan, and about 1856 came to Illinois and was engaged at his trade in DeKalb and Kane counties. He finally came to Iroquois county, where they were building the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw railroad. Mr. Emmons first located in Crescent; he was for a short time in Indiana; at last he located in Middleport township, where he has been engaged at his trade ever since. He worked at Pittwood from 1862 to 1879, when he came to Watseka, where he is now engaged in working at his trade. Mr. Emmons was married to Miss Margaret Stewart, of Cleveland, Ohio, and they have six children.

John W. Riggs, circuit clerk, Watseka, was born in Chester county, in the old "Keystone State," August 24, 1834, and is the son of Will- iam and Hannah (Gutherie) Riggs, both natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. Riggs was born on his father's farm, and at two years of age, with his parents, moved to Philadelphia. While a resident there, he was engaged as bookkeeper in the missionary department of the American Sunday School Union, a large publishing house of Philadelphia, where he remained some seven years. In 1862 Mr. Riggs came west to Illi- nois, and located at Buckly, Iroquois county, where he was engaged in the mercantile business, and remained there some two years, when he moved to Glenwood, and was engaged in the same business some four years, after which time he returned to Buckly. In 1872 he was nom- inated and elected to the office of circuit clerk, by the republican party, receiving a majority of 1,200 votes. In 1876 he was reëlected to the same office by a handsome majority. Mr. Riggs was for several years

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

justice of the peace and town clerk of his township. In each of these offices he has acquitted himself in a very creditable manner. He ranks among the leading men of the republican party. Mr. Riggs was married, in 1857, to Miss Richards, of Philadelphia, and by this union they have five children. Mr. Riggs moved to Watseka in 1872.

Clinton Wade, merchant, Watseka, is one of the foremost merchants of Watseka. He was born January 22, 1829, in Wayne county, New York, and is the son of Uriah Wade, who was born in Connecticut in 1796. Uriah Wade moved west, and located in Michigan, in 1833, when that state was a territory. Here he remained engaged in farmning until 1871, when he was killed by a passing freight train on the Michi- gan Central railroad. The subject of this sketch, with his parents, moved to Michigan, where he remained until 1852, engaged in farm- ing. He then went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and entered the Grundy Commercial College, of Cincinnati. Here he received a full course of bookkeeping. He accepted a position as assistant bookkeeper of the Miami Powder Company, at Xenia, Ohio; and there remained with this company, directly and indirectly, until 1857, when he went to New York city, and was engaged as a general salesman with the well known firms of Lyman, Cook & Co., and North, Sherman & Co. He re- mained there until after the war broke out, at which time he came west and located at Watseka, Iroquois county. He purchased a build- ing from John Fagan, and commenced in the general-store business, being one of the first merchants of Watseka. In 1869 he went to Chicago, and commenced the jobbing trade, where he remained until 1871, when he was burnt out by the great fire. He lost sixty per cent. of his investment. He returned to Watseka, and to-day is conducting one of the best business stores of the place. Mr. Wade is at present holding office as a councilman of Watseka. This office he has held for a number of years.

Henry C. Stearns, attorney-at-law, Watseka, was born in Walpole, New Hampshire, May 11, 1851, and is the son of J. W. Stearns. In 1863 Mr. Stearns, with his parents, came west, and located in Martin- ton, Iroquois county, Illinois, where Mr. Stearns, in 1873, was made postmaster. He was the first postmaster at that place, and held the office until 1875. He received his education at the Watseka High School, and the Grand Prairie School at Onarga. In 1876 he gradu- ated from the Union College of Law at Chicago, and came to Watseka and began practicing. In 1878 he formned a partnership with Mr. E. M. Amos, which continued until 1879, when, in September, 1879, he began with Mr. Free P. Morris.

Wm. H. Weaver, photograph artist, Watseka, was born in Union

MIDDLEPORT AND BELMONT TOWNSHIPS.

county, Pennsylvania, December 25, 1834, and is the son of M. H. Weaver, who was a leading attorney at New Berlin, the county seat of Union county. He was also editor of the "Union Star," a leading newspaper, and was a prominent politician, having held the offices of circuit clerk of the county and county surveyor. When Mr. Weaver, the subject of this sketch, was a young lad, he helped his father to sur- vey different parts of Union county, and at the age of twenty-one came west to Indiana, where he carried on the machine shops of the Wabash Valley railroad, near Lafayette. In 1858 he came to Illinois, and located at Paxton, where, in 1858, he began to learn the trade of a pho- tographer. In 1863 he came to Iroquois county, and located at Wat- seka, when he began the photograph business, being the first artist to locate at Watseka. Here he has remained since, and to-day he is one of the most successful, as well as finest, artists in eastern Illinois. In 1879 Mr. Weaver was elected to the office of justice of the peace. In 1873 he was made treasurer of the Iroquois Conuty Bible Society. He he has been president for a number of years of the Iroquois County Sabbath School Association, and has been a member of the M. E. church for the last eleven years. Mr. Weaver was married, in 1858, to Miss Mary Kerr, of Indiana. They have three children.

John L. Hamilton, county treasurer, Watseka, was born in the county of Armagh, Ireland. His parents were Thomas L. and Mary Ann (McCamley) Hamilton, and were of Scotch and English descent. In 1851 Mr. Hamilton emigrated to America- New Orleans being the port of disembarkation, where he remained but a short time ; then came to Illinois and located in Jersey county, when he began work on a farm by the month. He managed well, and by his industry and economy saved money enough to pay for 160 acres of land in Mason county, for which he paid $225, and afterward realized for it $47.50 per acre. He remained in. Jersey and Maconpin counties until 1864, when he came to Iroquois county and located on section 11, in Lovejoy town- ship, where he began farming, and being a good manager and hard worker, he became one of the best farmers in that neighborhood. While a resident of Lovejoy township he held the office of school director for several years, and also the office of supervisor for a number of terms; in both of these offices he gave entire satisfaction. In 1875 he was nominated and elected to the office of county treasurer of Iro- quois county, by the republican party, his majority being 300 votes. In 1877 he was reëlected to the same office by a majority of 500 votes, he being the only republican on the ticket that was elected. While he received a majority of 500 votes, the opposition party elected their officers by a majority as follows: superintendent of connty schools,

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

506; county clerk, 749; county judge, 906. In 1879, by the urgent request of the republican party, he again became their candidate for the same office, to which lie was elected by a majority of 617 votes. During these terms of office Mr. Hamilton has made a host of friends, and is, perhaps, the strongest man in the republican ranks of Iroquois county. This is probably due to the honorable, upright course that he has pursued, and the plain, unaffected way in which he has received the honors that they have been willing to bestow upon hin. Though he began, as before stated, poor, and worked for small wages on a farm, he is now, by his industry and careful management, one of the wealthy class of Iroquois county, and may truly be termed one of her self-made men. His portrait has been placed in this work as an honorable repre- sentative of the people. Mr. Hamilton was married, in Jersey county, Illinois, February 24, 1857, to Miss Annie Eliza Leeman, who is of Scotch-Irish descent. By this union they have had nine children, two of whom are deceased.

J. C. Anderson, miller, Woodland, was born in Mason county, Ken- tucky, January 19, 1818, and is the son of William C., a shoemaker by trade, and Katherine (Cook) Smalley. When he was about twelve years old he, with his parents, moved from Kentucky to Indiana, and located in Fountain county, near Attica. At sixteen years of age he commenced to learn the trade of a cabinet-maker, and served an apprenticeship of five years, after which he started a shop of his own in Attica, which he managed till 1849. For a short time he was a resi- dent of Warren county. In 1854 he moved to Vermilion county, Illi- nois, near Hoopeston, on a farm, where he remained until 1864, when he came to Iroquois county, and located one and a half miles east of Woodland, in Belmont township. Here he commenced farming. He was also, in 1868, engaged in sawmilling. His first experience in this line was in Warren county, in 1851. Mr. Anderson was for two years in the same business in Howard county, Indiana. In 1874 he moved his saw-mill to Woodland, and in 1878 built the present flour-mill, which commenced running February, 1879. The flour-mill is a frame building, two stories high, 24×40 feet, with a large shed for the engine and boiler. Mr. Anderson was married in Attica, January 9, 1842, to Miss Charlotte Steel, of Ohio, and they have had eight children, six living. Mr. Anderson commenced life a poor boy, but by working at his trade, saving what he earned and investing it in land, lie now owns 383 acres of land, and his saw and flour-mill property.

E. Rosenburg, grain and hardware merchant, Woodland, was born in Saxe-Weimar, Germany, November 28, 1840. When a young lad he entered his father's brick-yard, where he was engaged in manufac-

MIDDLEPORT AND BELMONT TOWNSHIPS.

turing brick until 1864, when he sailed for America, came west to Illi- nois, and located in Iroquois county, where he has been a resident since. In 1866 Mr. Rosenburg built a brewery in Watseka. The first build- ing cost him $1,400. To this he added until he had a neat brewery, with a capacity for manufacturing eiglit barrels of beer. He remained in the business until 1873, when he went to Papineau and entered the hardware business, where he remained until he came to Woodland, in 1876. Here lie is engaged now in the grain firm of S. Williams & Co., and with the hardware firm of Rosenburg & Zemple. Mr. Rosenburg is a member of the I.O.O.F. He holds the office of school director. The firm of S. Williams commenced in September, 1876. They have shipped from Woodland as high as 110,000 pounds of grain in one day.

Lorenzo D. Browne, farmer, Watseka, was born in Mason county, Virginia, March 3, 1822, and is the son of Martin Browne, who was born in Frederick county, Virginia. Martin Browne was a soldier of the war of 1812, under Gen. Harrison. In 1828 the subject of this sketch, with his parents, moved to Madison county, Indiana, where Martin Browne died, in 1856. Lorenzo visited Indianapolis, then a small town, in 1829. He went there with his father to enter land, and the entering office was a small log hut. Mr. Browne was married, in 1843, to Miss Nancy Harlan, of Indiana. They remained in Madison county until 1865. Mr. Browne came to Iroquois county, Illinois, in 1864, and purchased the present homestead, and in 1865 moved his family, consisting of a wife and ten children. Here Mr. Browne remained until 1872, when he moved to Watseka for the purpose of schooling his children. He remained a resident of that place some three years, and while there was engaged in the hardware business in the store of L. C. Marsh. He subsequently moved his family back to the farm, where he has been a resident since. Mr. Browne was engaged in the mercantile business in Anderson, Indiana, about one year. Since his residence in Belmont township he has held the office of justice of the peace some eight years. Mr. Browne is a republican in politics. He is a member of the Christian church. He purchased the present farm from Aaron Moore. He now owns 255 acres of well improved land. Mr. Browne's grandfather, Martin Browne, came to America after the close of the revolutionary war. He brought with him some books, a few copies of which are now in the possession of Mr. Browne ; one, a dictionary of English and Italian, printed in London, England, in 1727.

I. C. Wade, hardware and lumber merchant, Watseka, was born in Berry county, Michigan, January 24, 1848, and is the son of Thadeus Wade. Mr. Wade was born on the farm, but moved to Allegan,

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

Michigan, when very young. Here he remained until 1863. During the late war he tried four or five times to enlist, but, on account of his being too young, was rejected. At last he went to Rochester, New York, where he enlisted as private in Co. M, 22d reg. N. Y. Vol. Cav. This regiment was with Gen. Custer. Mr. Wade participated in thirty- three battles, some of which were the most severe of the war. His first battle was at the battle of the Wilderness,-one of the hardest of the war; he was also in the battles of Cold Harbor, Wilson's Raid, (a continuous battle-there were 8,000 men sent out on this raid, and only 3,000 returned - and considered by Gen. Grant the most bloody battle in which he was ever engaged), Fisher's Hill, Winchester, and Cedar Creek. Mr. Wade had charge of thirty men, who stood picket duty on the Potomac for sixty days in the heat of danger. During Mr. Wade's soldiering he was taken prisoner twice, but managed to make an escape each time. He was mustered out in August, 1865, when he returned to Michigan. In 1865, with his parents, he moved to Watseka. In 1870 he entered the lumber business. In 1871 and 1872 he was in the lumber business in Milford. In 1875 he com- menced the hardware business in connection with his lumber business, and owns now one of the leading business establishments in Watseka. Mr. Wade was married, in 1873, to Miss Theresa Hastings, who died with the consumption in 1878. By this union they have two children living. Mr. Wade is a republican in politics. He was a delegate to the Greeley convention, held in Cincinnati in 1872.

Edward Dalton, lumber merchant, Watseka, the subject of this sketch, and whose portrait appears in this work, is a native of county Roscommon, Ireland. He is the son of James and Margaret (Mc- Guire) Dalton, and was born December 15, 1814. His father by his own exertions accumulated considerable property, so that young Edward was given the advantages of the common schools until the age of eleven years, and was then sent to the Latin school of. Strokestown, where he remained until he was about seventeen years old. Here he made very rapid progress, and would shortly have graduated, had not his father concluded to emigrate to America, which he did, leaving our subject in charge of two farms, which were to be by him sub-rented and managed. In January, 1832, his father sailed for America, and in May, 1834, Edward, with his mother and four brothers, followed him, arriving at St. Joseph, Michigan, in the following July; their trip being made from Buffalo, New York, on the steamer Sandusky, which was the first lake-steamer that ever made the run into the St. Joseph river at that point. Instead of being obliged to send for him, as his father had thought, Edward arrived with 734 golden guineas, which

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History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 61

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903 Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180